COLUBRINE GROUP. 



211 



presence of eight upper labial shields, of which the fourth and fifth enter the circle 

 of the eye. There are from twenty-five to twenty-seven longitudinal rows of 

 scales in the thickest part of the body, and the anal shield is divided. Of the 

 numerous variations, there are two which are most constant, the first being the 

 typical but rare four-lined race. In this form the ground-colour is brownish grey, 

 upon which are usually four black longitudinal stripes, here and there interrupted ; 

 although these are sometimes replaced by two dark or blood-red lines. On the 

 sides are small blackish spots ; the under surface of the head and forepart of the 

 body is either yellowish white or bright yellow, but each under-shield is marked 

 with four or five irregular blackish spots, which become so large posteriorly that 

 the whole surface appears steel-blue, the yellow only showing on the edges of the 

 shields. In the second variety, or leopard- snake, the ground-colour is mahogany- 



LEOPARD-SNAKE. 



red, mottled on the upper surface with blood-red black-edged spots, which may 

 either be arranged in two rows, or coalesce into transverse bands ; while on each 

 side there is a row of smaller, blackish, crescentic spots alternating with those of 

 the back. The range of this species is bounded to the west by the mountains of 

 Southern Italy and Sicily, and to the east by Asia ; both varieties occurring to- 

 gether in most districts between these limits, although in Greece and Dalmatia only 

 the leopard-snake is known. 



Among the largest of European ophidians is the four-rayed snake (C. quatuor- 

 radiatus), which attains a length of between 6 and 7 feet, and is of an olive-brown 

 or flesh-coloured hue above, often marked with a pair of longitudinal blackish 

 brown stripes, a black line running from the eye to the mouth, and the under- 

 parts being straw-yellow. There are, however, many variations from this typical 

 coloration ; some specimens being entirely black, while the young generally have 

 black crossbands on the head, three rows of large brown spots on the back, the 



